Tag: Zutari

South Africa’s mining sector has long been shaped by migrant labour systems. Employees travelled vast distances from rural homes to industrial centres. For decades, hostel accommodation supported this reality. Although functional in many respects, it ultimately proved undesirable and unsustainable for our social fabric.

Africa today stands at a watershed moment. Our continent is not destined to lag behind. It has the potential to leap forward. To achieve this, we must re-prioritise quality infrastructure projects built not merely for the bottom line but for resilience, inclusion and long-term impact.

Engineers have long drawn inspiration from nature. Examples of such biomimicry include passive ventilation systems modelled after termite mounds and wind turbine blades with scalloped edges, inspired by humpback whale flippers, which reduce drag dramatically.

Affordable housing remains a complex challenge, with varying interpretations of what ‘affordable’ actually means. According to the World Bank, housing is considered affordable when it costs below 30% of the average household income.

The concept of sustainability is considered differently for developing countries versus developed countries. Developed economies tend to look at sustainability with a significant focus towards environmental impact and preservation. In contrast, developing countries consider sustainability from a socio-economic perspective, which includes infrastructure-related challenges, for example.